Focus primary education in budget

While the Union Budget is appreciated almost every year for allocating increased budget for education, the focus is, more often than not, on higher education. I understand that Finance Minister’s announcement of more central universities and National Knowledge Commission makes more news; he should however not neglect the primary education. Unless the budget contains something to bridge the widening gap between primary and higher education, the much needed lower-end skill in the economy will become increasingly scarce. The Union Budget must operationalise Right to Education (RTE) and for that primary education must be allocated substantially more. I also expect the budget to give momentum to Rashtriya Mahyamik Shiksha Abhiyan.

My expectations include increased budgetary allocation to further strengthen the sector,and for creating the requisite infrastructure. There should be a centralized regulatory body to regulate the sector in place of the existing system of multi-layer approvals. This would encourage and expedite the development of educational institutions, resulting in inclusive growth. Making primary education more affordable by promoting and funding education at grass root level and subsidizing the primary education. This would result in an enhanced access to quality, yet affordable education. There should be more clarity and transparency in spending of 3% education cess collected.

A separate corpus should be set up for special training programs for teachers improve the level and quality of imparting education. There should be more income-tax deduction in consideration of educational fees paid by parents. There should be incentive for corporates investing in primary education. Participation of private sector should also be encouraged to increase the speed of reforms.

Don't blame brand conscious kids

Many of my friends and parents who come to me for the counseling of their children crib about the overt consumerism that today’s children carry with them. The common grouse is the demand for more branded stuff in their kitty. Well, I do understand their genuine concerns, keeping in mind the space that most of them are coming from. As children we hardly ever though of a brand value and our self worth had no connection with this social parameter.

However, today’s children not only value the brand status but also the differentiator between the local and multi-national brands. Let’s face the reality and accept the fact that children are today living in a different world. And instead of blaming them for this demanding consumerism we should better introspect as to what are the ideals that we are giving to them. Instead of leading them by example we are too focused on earning by hook or by crook.

The kind of disposable income that parents show off today is something that nobody even imagined when we were kids. No wonder, the Gen Y has inculcated this consumerism too early in their lives. And hence kids are becoming target point for most of the product lines which might not be even catering to Kids. Actually this has, of late, been the most successful marketing strategy to drive traffic in the road shows and malls.

This trend is catching up and each and every brand is trying to register in the minds of kids by using them as a vehicle or reaching them for a direct word of Mouth Promotion. A kid might never go to the bathroom to see which Detergent / Washing powder his mom is using but a campaign like Daag Achche Hai - Surf Excel, White Ho Toh Tide Ho, Nirma etc always have Kids in the main Frame of the advertisements.

The question is that whether it actually works better. A friend in the real estate who has a number of malls admit that they plan most of their strategy around kids to drive in more footfalls and it actually works the best with the least investment. It seems the market strategists who were earlier targeting the youth and had major events and promotions around the college going or earning youth have shifted gears backwards. Through trial and error over the years the focus shifted to the Kids.

Kids as the centre point of marketing strategy in the malls are not only used for the promotions and events but also to extend of creating innovative concepts focusing kids like signing the outlets catering to kids, enhancing the kids recreational area, offering special party space for smaller kids, exclusive toy shops etc. The marketing gurus have suddenly woken up to the reality that a captive community of kids can not be neglected for long.

A number of malls have now come a long way with direct interaction of this captive TG and have started having regular weekly competitions for the kids who are coming to them every day. Some of the malls are being redecorated as entertainment destination with a lot of interaction with the Society Operators (Presidents of RWA) and started getting in their own activities with the Kids by becoming partner for those.

Many of such new-age marketing mantra has actually worked. This got these malls people who had kids but preferred to go to other destinations. Children focused marketing gave them a platform to get the kids become a vehicle to drive the parents to these Mall. Some of the malls have taken it to another level by having womens’/mothers’ workshops along with kids competitions for only those mothers whose kids were part of the activity.

Does anybody still have any questions as to why kids today are brand conscious and materialistic with very high and unrealistic aspiration level?

New Year with Children

On the eve of the New Year a number of friends and parents called me up to ask as to what would be my suggestion to them as far as celebrations are concerned. I understand the subtle dilemma here since all of them have kids or growing up children at home. Well, a wholesome family celebration is an ideal way to usher in a new year, partying with the friends too is necessary to network socially which is extremely important in today’s hectic professional life. What is the way out?
Before I could reach to a logical explanation that could meet the social obligation as well as include the children back home, a small news item from Moscow about Tskhinval holding children's New Year party caught my attention. The South Ossetian President Edward Kokoity was to whistle off a children’s New Year and Christmas party at a school in Tskhinval.
The guests were children who crouched in basements during the Georgian artillery barrage in August 2008. The assault killed dozens of Russian peacekeepers and hundreds of local people and left the South Ossetian capital in rubble. The otherwise small news item might have gone unnoticed by many of the newspaper readers.
However, an educationist and child psychologist in me started wondering if the ruined buildings can turn into Children’s Culture and Handicrafts Centre, why can’t an otherwise peaceful nation like India take a lead and plan out something for our own children. After all, everyone likes to celebrate the New Year and kids are no exception, although often the children are sent to bed while the adults have all the fun.
I suggest why not celebrate the New Year and, for that matter, every event this year twice- once with your kids at just a little past their normal bedtime - and once again at midnight, when they are safely tucked up in bed? We can plan out many activities to help our celebrations for the children go well. In case, the children are going to stay up until midnight to see the New Year in, plan out some games to keep them busy.
The bottom line is that make children part of your celebrations this New Year and every other landmark event throughout the year. Let’s take this as a New Year Resolution for the year 2010 and ahead.